Field Remedies/Introduction

In many old stories, folk tales, and even fantasy games, many mystical figures from sages to witches to elves used odd concoctions of strange liquids and plant distillates to produce magical effects. Even though these are purely children's stories, all myths are in some way rooted in fact. Perhaps you can't bring the dead to life with a concoction of wolf's bane and mandrake; but you can cure a stomach ache with a light tea made from steeped ginger root.

The Field Remedies Wikibook is the documentation of just that. Any distillates, teas or other herbal remedies may be documented here, offering the valuable knowledge of simple remedies for a range of potential conditions. The information here should be generally useful, enriching, and enlightening to the serious study or casual Wikibooks browser.

Originally the title "Potionology" was chosen for this Wikibook for entertainment value; we also wanted to avoid the term "medicine," which implies greater authority than we care to claim. You should definitely seek medical attention for anything worse than a minor cold; don't try fixing that spreading green infection on your hand with a few herbs that you found listed in some online site. That being said, there is some valuable information contained within.

Once again, the Field Remedies Wikibook is meant to provide practical knowledge, not medical training; it is not a scientific or medical journal, and should not be taken as such. Factual accuracy and sometimes even safety are suspect throughout this Wikibook; although we'd like to try to keep things at least menially correct here. These remedies are likely not effective in treating serious conditions, and in some cases may be downright dangerous; please be mindful.

Use a lot of references. If you claim something, make a reference to something else, such as Wikipedia. Use w: links, such as w:Green tea, to reference Wikipedia. Any claims made by your own experience should be noted, such as "in the experience of User:Bluefoxicy..."

Be realistic. Don't put down that a mixture of garlic and wolfsbane will keep vampires away. That's just immature.

Place warnings on dangerous pages. Certain things will cause nasty side effects, such as dangerous blood pressure increases from excess Licorice; this is dangerous and it needs to be noted that you can kill yourself this way. Don't tell someone to mess with Mandrake root without warning that just uprooting the plant can release a fatal cloud of narcotic gas, or that small doses can cause irreparable cases of death.

Notate works in progress. It's perfectly okay to note that ingredient X has desired effect Y, but that you need another ingredient you can't yet find, or haven't found the right potency, or whatnot. Concoctions of various herbs are interesting.